But they have been pushed into performing an embarrassing climbdown and a statement read: “Following consultation between the SPFL, member clubs and broadcast partners regarding the final round of Championship fixtures over the weekend of 2 & 3 May 2015, Sky Sports has now suggested an alternative schedule for its televised Championship match that weekend.

“As a result, we are pleased to confirm all five Championship matches that weekend will now kick-off simultaneously at 12.15pm on Saturday 2 May. The Hearts v Rangers match will be televised live on Sky Sports.

“The SPFL would like to thank Sky Sports for its flexibility and understanding and we’re sure all football fans will look forward to an exciting climax to the Championship season.”

She said: “The club very much appreciates the flexibility shown by Sky Sports in accommodating our request to change back to the original date.

Ann Budge (Image: SNS Group)

I am also very pleased that all Championship fixtures will now be played at the same time, thereby removing earlier concerns over football integrity within Scottish football.

“I hope this will be good news for the majority of our supporters, many of whom faced financial loss due to yesterday’s proposed change of date.

“However, I am equally aware that a number of supporters changed travel plans in light of yesterday’s announcement and will now potentially suffer loss. We sympathise totally with any supporters who have lost out because of this but unfortunately there is very little if anything that the club could do while everything was in a state of flux, other than try to ensure you were kept as fully informed as possible.

“This situation should not have been allowed to happen but alas it happened! All I can say is that the club did everything in its power to respond as quickly as possible to the announcement, to try to rectify the situation, and to keep the fans fully up-to-speed with what was going on.

“Thank you all for your patience and understanding while we dealt with this difficult situation.”

The SPFL 2014/15 fixtures: The timeline of a farce

Saturday and Sunday, April 11 and 12 2015

There are only two games left to play as the top flight teams square up in the final run of post-split fixtures

Monday April 13 2015

Record Sport exclusively reveals that the SPFL are still locked in talks with broadcasters and Police over the fixture list

Tuesday April 14 2015

The SPFL fails to respond to repeated calls from the Daily Record and six key questions on the fixtures and plans for the play-off final

Wednesday April 15: 7am

Record Sport's Keith Jackson reveals that SPFL chief Neil Doncaster has drafted an emergency plan to shift the final leg of the play-off from Sunday May 31 to the first week of June

Wednesday April 15: 12noon

SPFL finally announces fixture list with Rangers facing Hearts 24 hours after their other Championship promotion rivals - including Hibs - play their final games of the season

Wednesday April 15

Partick Thistle and Rangers among the clubs who protest, highlighting that many players will be out of contract if the final play-off takes place in June

Wednesday April 15

An SPFL source tells Record Sport: “Right now we have a Plan A and a Plan B. The first option is to continue as scheduled but if Hibs win the semi-final then Plan B will require an extension to the season. The situation will be reviewed on Monday.”

Wednesday April 15: 5.30pm

Hibs chief Leeann Dempster hits out: "I have reminded them (SPFL) in very clear terms that – as the organiser of the competition – the responsibility for protecting its unimpeachable sporting integrity lies with them.”

Wednesday April 15: 6.30pm

Hearts owner Ann Budge says she will be lodging an official complaint over the scheduling of the game v Rangers stating that the SPFL have “left our game wide open to unsavoury accusations”.

Wednesday April 15: 9.07pm

SPFL release statement through their PR company: "The Hearts v Rangers match is scheduled for Sunday 3 May to be broadcast on television and it is not clear to us why this has caused so much surprise."

Wednesday April 15

Speaking after Rangers' draw with Livingston manager Stuart McCall gave his view: "If Hibs are complaining then they are quite right. I’d be doing exactly the same – on the last day of the season every game should be played at the same time."

Thursday April 16: 7am

Motherwell reveal that they will wait until Monday to approach out of contract stars and determine their availability for a June play-off

Thursday April 16: 7am

Kilmarnock demand compensation as SPFL scheduling torpedoes their plans to mark the 50th anniversary of their only title win

Thursday April 16: 12.12pm

Falkirk release statement that they will not switch their final day clash with Hibs to the Sunday with hospitality tickets already sold

Thursday April 16: 12.18pm

Hearts tell their fans not to make plans for the final game of the season, hinting that it could be moved to the Saturday

Thursday April 16: 12.28pm

SPFL announce that following talks with broadcaster Sky and member clubs: "We are pleased to confirm all five Championship matches that weekend will now kick-off simultaneously at 12.15pm on Saturday 2 May."

TACKLE THE RECORD SPORT QUIZ:

Question -1 of 5Score -0 of 0

Jurgen Klopp spent his entire playing career at which football club?

There's more pain on the way for the likeable Klopp (Image: Getty Images)